


Every Time We Say Goodbye

by subcircus



Category: Doctor Who, Torchwood
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-15
Updated: 2010-01-15
Packaged: 2017-10-06 08:00:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/51457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/subcircus/pseuds/subcircus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After The Last of the Timelords, Ten and Martha say goodbye to Jack.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Every Time We Say Goodbye

Jack sighed and looked down over Cardiff. He knew he shouldn't have come. It was always dangerous to cross your own timeline, but he figured he was relatively safe. Right about now, he should have been clinging to the TARDIS, en route to the end of the universe.

Suddenly he heard the familiar _vworp vworp_ and knew he'd miscalculated. He cursed aloud and watched his younger self say goodbye to the Doctor, and then head across the Plass.

Grabbed by a sudden desire to see the Doctor again, he climbed down from his vantage point and quickly headed to where he knew the TARDIS would be.

The Doctor was too busy chatting to Martha to notice Jack until they were almost on top of him.

"How did you...?" the Doctor began.

"It's been too long," Jack answered. He desperately wanted to hug the Doctor, but he was afraid he would recoil from Jack.

"What do you mean? We only just left y…oh," the Doctor said, as realisation dawned. Martha looked between them, confused. "How long has it been?" the Doctor asked.

"Over a millennia since today. Although I met a different regeneration a couple of centuries ago. Not as cute as this one," Jack replied.

"Stop it," the Doctor chastised. Jack broke into a broad smile.

"Oh, I missed that!" he exclaimed.

"So why are you here? Feeling sentimental?" the Doctor asked, his tone a little harsh.

"A little, but I was looking for someone. I'm still with Torchwood and I'm trying to track down a rogue time traveller. Records say he was here, although I think I must have missed him."

"Need any help?" the Doctor asked, unable to ignore an adventure.

"Best not. Timelines and all," Jack replied. He chuckled.

"Care to share the joke?" Martha asked.

"Oh, nothing really. Just that, I'm older than the Doctor. That's kinda funny. To me, anyway," Jack said with a shrug.

"Martha, would you give us a moment?" the Doctor asked.

"Sure," she gave Jack a hug ad went inside the TARDIS.

"Why are you really here Jack?" the Doctor asked.

"I felt…lonely. I didn't intend to speak to anyone, not until I saw you. I came to a time and place where I had felt content, when I found you again, found the answers I'd been looking for. You never did say goodbye properly."

"Oh, we'll meet loads of times, I'm sure. Who wants to say goodbye?"

"You never change, do you? Even when you regenerate, some things stay the same. I guess you're right. I mean, here I am, over a thousand years old, and only looking a few years older than when we last met. I might not live forever, but it's gonna be pretty damn close. You're the only one in the whole damn universe who has an inkling of how I feel but you won't, you can't let me close," Jack stepped closer to the Doctor and reached out to touch his face. The Doctor started to pull away, but then he pushed down the reflex and let Jack touch him, "Let me close, Doctor. Please." Jack begged, almost in a whisper, tears welling up in his eyes.

"It can't be what it was Jack, I'm sorry," the Doctor leaned forward and gave Jack a long, lingering kiss, "Goodbye Jack," he whispered, and went into the TARDIS. Jack watched as she dematerialised in front of him.

"Goodbye, old friend," he said.


End file.
